Grapevine named ‘FLEURTAI’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of grapevine plant named ‘FLEURTAI’, primarily adapted to the growing conditions of the temperate regions and characterized by its strong vigor; erect growth habit; small to medium circular shaped leaves with medium texture; medium sized berry clusters with golden-green berries that have an amber nuance on the sunny side of the berry, soft flesh, neutral taste, and no flesh coloration primarily used for wine; early harvesting time; and resistance to winter temperatures (to −23° C.), resistance to downy mildew, and tolerance to powdery mildew.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Vitis×vinifera (hybrid).

Variety name: ‘FLEURTAI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct summer/fall bearing grapevine variety, botanically known as Vitis vinifera, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘FLEURTAI’.

The new grapevine ‘FLEURTAI’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors in Udine, Italy. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new grapevine variety particularly characterized by resistance to cold (<−20° C.), resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), and tolerance to powdery mildew (Uncinula necator).

The new grapevine ‘FLEURTAI’ originated from a cross made by the inventors in Udine, Italy. The female or seed parent is the grapevine variety, Vitis vinifera cv. ‘Tocai Friulano’ (unpatented), and the male or pollen parent is the grapevine variety, Vitis cv. ‘20/3’ (Bianca×SK77-4/5) (unpatented).

The new grapevine ‘FLEURTAI’ was discovered and selected by the inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2002 in Udine, Italy. Asexual reproduction of the new grapevine variety by grafting was first performed in February 2004 in Rauscedo, Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘FLEURTAI’ is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the temperate regions with average yearly temperature about 13° C., minimum winter temperature about −20° C., annual rainfall around 700-1500 mm of rain (e.g. North-Eastern Italy, Friuli). This region provides the necessary year-round temperatures required for it to produce and maintain a strong vigorous plant with consistent fruit production from April through November on primocanes and in the ensuing year from April through November on the floricanes.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘FLEURTAI’, which in combination distinguish this grapevine plant as a new and distinct variety.

-   -   1. Strong vigor;     -   2. Erect growth habit;     -   3. Small to medium circular shaped leaves with medium to dark         green upper surfaces and light green lower surfaces and medium         texture;     -   4. Medium size, loose to medium dense, conical berry clusters         with two middle size wings; golden-green color berries with         amber nuances on the sunny side of the berry, soft flesh,         neutral taste, no flesh coloration; primarily for wine; maturing         in late August (Middle Friuli, North-Eastern Italy);     -   5. Primocanes and floricanes with oblate cross section, brownish         color, no lenticels, and short-middle internodes (diameter: 8         mm);     -   6. Late August harvesting time (Middle Friuli, North-Eastern         Italy); and     -   7. Resistance to winter temperature (−23° C.), resistance to         downy mildew, and tolerance to powdery mildew.

Plants of the new grapevine ‘FLEURTAI’ differ from plants of the parents, Vitis vinifera ‘Tocai Friulano’ (unpatented) and Vitis cross ‘20/3’ (unpatented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parent Varieties Female Parent Male Parent Charac- New Cultivar ‘Tocai Friulano’ ‘20/3’ teristic ‘FLEURTAI’ (unpatented) (unpatented) vigor strong strong medium growth erect semi-erect semi-erect habit leaf small to medium medium size, Medium size, size, medium to light green color light green color dark green color (upper surface), (upper surface), (upper surface), green color (lower green color (lower light green color surface), very few surface), no hairs (lower surface), no hairs in both in both surfaces, hairs in both surfaces, circular wedge-shaped— surfaces, circular shape, medium kidney-shaped, shape, medium texture medium texture texture cluster very low-low low weight, low weight, weight, conical conical, with 1-2 conical, with 1-2 with two middle wings, dense, berry wings, medium size wings, loose or skin with green- dense, berry skin medium dense, yellow color, soft with green-yellow berry skin with flesh, neutral taste, color, slightly firm golden-green color no flesh coloration, flesh, neutral taste, with amber nuances use: wine, no flesh coloration, in the sunny side of maturity: medium use: wine, berry, soft flesh, (early September maturity: early neutral taste, no at Udine, North- (late August, flesh coloration, Eastern Italy) Middle Friuli, use: wine, maturity: North-Eastern early (late August, Italy) Middle Friuli, North-Eastern Italy) primocane oblate cross circular cross oblate cross and section, brownish section, brownish section, brownish floricane color, lenticels: color, lenticels: color, lenticels: absent, short- absent, short- absent, medium medium internodes, medium internodes, diameter: small internodes, diameter small (about 8 mm) diameter small 8 (about (about 8 mm) mm) harvesting early (last decade Early-medium Early (end August, time August, Middle (early September, Middle Friuli, Friuli, North- Middle Friuli, North-Eastern Eastern Italy) North-Eastern Italy) Italy) resistances resistant to winter Average resistance resistant to winter temperature (−23° to winter tempera- temperature not C.), resistant to ture (−15° C.), checked, resistant downy mildew, susceptible to to downy mildew, tolerant to powdery downy mildew, resistant to mildew susceptible to powdery mildew powdery mildew

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar to the new grapevine ‘FLEURTAI’ is the female parent ‘Tocai Friulano’, to which a comparison has been provided above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new grapevine ‘FLEURTAI’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘FLEURTAI’.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show a typical fruit cluster of ‘FLEURTAI’ taken on Aug. 25, 2012, in Udine, Italy.

FIG. 2 shows a typical mature leaf (upper surface, left and lower surface, right) of ‘FLEURTAI’ taken on Jun. 15, 2012, in Udine, Italy.

FIG. 3 shows a typical mature vine of ‘FLEURTAI’ taken on Aug. 3, 2012.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view of typical mature fruit of ‘FLEURTAI’ taken on Aug. 25, 2012, in Udine, Italy

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of ‘FLEURTAI’ unless otherwise noted, is based on observations taken during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 growing seasons(s) in Udine, Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy, from plants dug from a nursery located in Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, Rauscedo (PN), Italy during the beginning of December 2007 and planted approximately 16 to 20 weeks later in Udine, Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy. The phenotypical descriptions and color designations stated for the new variety may vary, depending upon variations in environmental factors, including weather (temperature, humidity and light intensity), day length, soil type, location and cultural conditions. ‘FLEURTAI’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.

‘TOCAI FRIULANO’ Characteristic ‘FLEURTAI’ (unpatented) GENERAL Resistance to Resistant to downy Susceptible to downy pest/disease mildew, tolerant to mildew and to powdery powdery mildew mildew Resistance to natural Resistant to winter cold Resistant to winter cold elements down to −23° C. down to −15° C. VINE Vigor strong strong Trunk diameter 6 cm (6 yrs.-old plant) 6.5 Bark color RHS 177B Dark brown underbark color RHS 179B Light brown texture n.a. n.a. Canes length Internode length cm 10.5 Internode length about cm 10 width 8 mm 8 mm Shoots shape Erected, cross section: Semi-erected, cross oblate, surface: with section: circular, stripes, nodes and surface: smooth, nodes internodes without hairs and internodes without hairs color internodes with red (RHS Internodes with green 185B) and green color on ventral and (RHS144B) pigmentation dorsal side, nodes with on both sides, nodes with green ventral and dorsal red (RHS 185B) and green side (RHS144B) dorsal side and green (RHS144B) ventral side Tendrils form Bifid or trifid bifid color RHS 145C Green texture normal normal number 2 or <2 consecutive 2 or <2 consecutive Buds size average average shape round round color RHS 139C Light brown number 2/node 2/node time of budbreak early early-medium LEAVES Size small-medium medium Number of leaflets 5 5 Glossiness Medium-high medium Cross section shape V-shaped V-shaped Color (immature) Upper surface RHS 140B Light green Under surface RHS 140B green Color (mature) Upper surface RHS 141A Medium green Under surface RHS 141B Darker green Petiole Length (cm) 6.2 6.0 Color (upper surface) RHS 145C green Color (under surface) RHS 145C and RHS180A green Stipule orientation n.a. n.a. FLOWERS Flowering period End of May End of May (time of beginning of flowering) Sex hermaphrodite hermaphrodite Size Average average Diameter (cm) 0.3 (stamens) 0.3 (stamens) Pistil Color RHS 149A Stamen Color RHS 4D Fragrance average average Flower number (at n.a. n.a. 3^(rd) node from tip of lateral mean and range) Petals Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape calyptra calyptra Calyptra Color RHS 134A green Sepals Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape n.a. n.a. Color (immature) n.a. n.a. Upper surface Under surface Color (mature) n.a. n.a. Upper surface Under surface Pedicel Length (mm) 45 (cluster) 70 Color RHS 145C green FRUIT Primocane time of August 25th September 7th fruiting (1^(st) pick) Clusters cluster weight g 170 g 230 cluster shape conical conical cluster length mm 180 medium avg. berries per 200 220 cluster avg. clusters per 2 2 shoot Berries Berry size Very low to low (g 1.8) Very low to low (g 1.5) Berry length (cm) 1.76 1.50 Berry width (cm) 1.56 1.50 Overall shape of broad ellipsoid globose berry Berry Texture soft soft Berry Skin Color RHS 137C green (immature) Berry Skin Color RHS 4D green (mature, at 19° Bx) Berry Flesh Color RHS 149D Soluble solids (%) 22.6 21.1 Titratable acidity (as g/L tartaric acid) 4.6 5.7 Sugar/acid ratio 4.9 3.7 Firmness soft soft Seeds 2-3 2-3 Seed color RHS 166C Skin cracking? no rarely Juice color transparent transparent Berry taste Neutral neutral Eating quality n.a. n.a. Berry uses wine wine Shipping quality n.a. n.a. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct grapevine, referred to as ‘FLEURTAI’, as herein described and illustrated by the characteristics set forth above. 